WALKING THROUGH GRAVEYARDS
JOHN 4:7-15; 39-42
I LIKE TO WALK THROUGH GRAVEYARDS.
THIS MAY SEEM STRANGE BUT I AM A STUDENT OF HISTORY AND THE TOMBSTONES
TELL ME A LOT ABOUT THE AREA AND THE PEOPLE.
I CAN TELL IS A PERSON CAME FROM A RICH OR POOR FAMILY BY THE SIZE AND ORNATENESS OF THE
STONE.
I FIND STONES THAT HONOR A PERSON FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO
FAMILY
OR BUSINESS
OR COUNTRY
OR MANKIND
OR, FAR TO INFREQUENTLY LATELY, THEIR COMMITMENT TO GOD.
I CAN SEE THE CHANGING OF SOCIETY BY THE STYLE, SIZE AND ORNATENESS OF THE MARKERS.
EVERY NOW AND THEN I SEE A STONE WITH THE DATES OF BIRTH AND DEATH
ENTIRELY TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. WHEN I SEE THESE I THINK ABOUT THE HEARTACHE
OF THE FAMILIES WHEN THEY LOST THE LOVED ONE. HOW DID THEY FEEL?
DID THEY BLAME GOD?
DID THEY TAKE IT IN STRIDE AND CONTINUE TO THANK GOD FOR HIS BLESSINGS?
OR DID THEY, LIKE MANY OF US, QUESTION GOD, WONDERING WHY AND HOW THIS
UNTIMELY DEATH HAPPENED?
QUESTIONING, YET, AT THE SAME TIME, HAVING FAITH THAT CHRIST IS
SUFFICIENT.
THERE ARE OTHER TYPES OF GRAVEYARDS
GHOST TOWNS
THE RUST BELT WITH THE CLOSED FACTORIES, THE BURIAL PLACES OF HOPES
AND DREAMS
THE GHETTO, WHERE MANY HOPES AND DREAMS ARE STILL BORN
AND SOME CHURCHES I HAVE SEEN.
SOME CHURCHES ARE THE BURIAL PLACES OF THE SPIRITUAL DEAD AND, AS IN THE
GRAVEYARDS FOR OUR BODIES, SOME OF THE DATES OF BIRTH AND DEATH ARE
ENTIRELY TOO CLOSE TOGETHER.
THE WOMAN AT THE WELL WAS TRULY LIVING IN A GRAVEYARD.
SHE WAS GETTING WATER AT A TIME WHEN NO OTHER WOMEN WERE THERE.
SHE WAS AN OUTCAST
WHAT WE CALL A WOMAN OF THE WORLD
SHE HAD LIVED WITH 5 MEN, & THE ONE SHE WAS LIVING WITH NOW WAS NOT HER HUSBAND
NONE OF THE OTHER WOMEN WOULD ASSOCIATE WITH HER
MEN ONLY USED HER
EVERYONE AVOIDED HER, BUT PROBABLY TALKED ABOUT HER (SOUND
FAMILIAR?)
THE DREAMS SHE HAD AS A LITTLE GIRL OR YOUNG LADY WERE GONE
IN THE EYES OF THOSE AROUND HER SHE HAD FAILED LIFE.
SHE WAS GOOD ONLY FOR USING AND THROWING AWAY.
SHE WAS LIVING IN THE GRAVEYARD OF HER SHATTERED HOPE, DREAMS & LIFE.
EXCEPT TO JESUS
JESUS DID NOT CARE WHAT SHE HAD BEEN OR WHAT SHE HAD DONE
HE KNEW WHAT SHE COULD BE.
WHERE OTHERS (INCLUDING HER) SAW DEATH, JESUS SAW LIFE.
JESUS KNEW THAT WHAT SHE THOUGHT WAS DEAD FOREVER WAS NOT DEAD.
JESUS KNEW THAT HE WAS HER RESURRECTION AND HER LIFE
THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS DID NOT UNDERSTAND THIS, THEY ONLY SAW JESUS TALKING
TO A WOMAN OF QUESTIONABLE VIRTUE, AND A SAMARITAN WOMAN AT THAT.
THEY MISSED THE POINT OF THE WORK OF JESUS THE CHRIST, THE MESSIAH, THE SAVIOR.
THEY DID NOT SEE WITH SPIRITUAL EYES
WITH LOVE
WITH COMPASSION
WITH EMPATHY
WITH TRUTH
THEY SAW WHAT THEY HAD BEEN TAUGHT TO SEE BY THEIR CULTURE AND SOCIETY
AND, YES, BY THEIR CHURCH.
JESUS SAW THINGS DIFFERENTLY
HE CAME TO ANNOUNCE THE RESURRECTION.
HE CAME ASSURING US OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY AND OF THE ETERNAL
LIFE THAT IS POSSIBLE ONLY THROUGH HIM.
WE TEND TO THINK OF JESUS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RESURRECTION OF THOSE WHO
ARE DEAD PHYSICALLY. WE FORGET THAT UNTIL WE ACCEPT JESUS AS SAVIOR WE
ARE NEVER REALLY ALIVE.
WITHOUT CHRIST WE ARE THE LIVING DEAD.
CHRIST COMES TO RESURRECT OUR HOPES AND DREAMS WHEN THEY ARE DASHED BY
THE WINDS OF FATE OR THE UNCARING ACTIONS OF MAN.
CHRIST COMES TO RESURRECT HOPE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BELIEVED IN HIM AND
THEN HAD THAT BELIEF STOLEN AWAY BY SATAN.
CHRIST COMES TO RESURRECT HOPE FOR THOSE WHO NEVER BELIEVED AS WELL AS
THOSE WHO BELIEVED, SERVED HIM, AND THEN, FOR WHATEVER REASON, FEEL BACK INTO SIN.
CHRIST CAME TO RESURRECT NOT ONLY THE DEAD BUT ALSO THE LIVING DEAD.
CHRIST CAME TO RESURRECT ALL OF US WHO WILL BELIEVE.
HE CAME TO GIVE US NEW LIFE COMPLETELY
IN ALL PARTS OF OUR LIFE
HE CAME TO ENABLE US TO BE ALL HE CREATED US TO BE.
CHRIST CAME TO BREAK THE BONDS OF DEATH FOR ALL MANKIND.
THE LIVING DEAD
THE SPIRITUALLY DEAD
AND THE LIVING DEAD.
WITH JESUS ALL GRAVEYARDS ARE TEMPORARY
OUR BODIES DIE.....BUT WE LIVE ETERNALLY THROUGH HIM
OUR HOPES & DREAMS DIES......BUT JESUS RETURNS HOPE TO OUR LIVES & OUR
DREAMS ARE ELEVATED TO A HIGHER PLANE.
OUR LIFE MAY BE CONSIDERED A FAILURE BY THOSE AROUND US.....BUT JESUS
BRINGS US NEW LIFE THROUGH HIM
OUR FAITH MAY GROW WEAK......BUT JESUS HELPS, SUPPORTS & CONTINUES TO
LOVE US.
AND EVENTUALLY WE LEARN TO BELIEVE & OUR FAITH GROWS STRONGER.
WE, AS CHRISTIANS HELP OR HINDER THE GROWTH PROCESS OF THOSE AROUND US.
IN JOHN 4:39-42 WE READ THAT THE WOMAN WENT BACK TO THE TOWN AND TOLD
EVERYONE ABOUT JESUS. THE CHANGE THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE IN HER WAS
AMAZING.
IT NO LONGER MATTERED THAT SHE WAS AN OUTCAST
IT NO LONGER MATTERED THAT SHE HAD BEEN A WOMAN OF QUESTIONABLE
VIRTUE
IT NO LONGER MATTERED THAT SHE HAD LIVED WITH 6 MEN
IT NO LONGER MATTERED THAT NONE OF THE OTHER WOMEN WOULD NOT
ASSOCIATE WITH HER.
IT NO LONGER MATTERED THAT THE DREAMS SHE HAD AS A YOUNG LADY SEEMED TO BE DEAD
IT NO LONGER MATTERED THAT SHE HAD FAILED LIFE IN THE EYES OF THOSE
AROUND HER, THAT SHE HAD BEEN GOOD ONLY TO USE AND THROW AWAY.
THAT WAS PAST
SHE WAS NO LONGER LIVING IN THE GRAVEYARD OF HER FORMER LIFE.
JESUS MADE A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE IN HER LIFE. HE RESURRECTED THE PERSON
SHE WAS CREATED TO BE & OTHERS SAW THE DIFFERENCE IMMEDIATELY.
THE TOWNSPEOPLE SAW SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ABOUT HER
THEY LISTENED TO HER
& THEN THEY CAME TO MEET AND LISTEN TO THE PERSON WHO HAD BROUGHT
ABOUT SUCH AN AMAZING CHANGE IN THIS WOMAN.
THEY CAME BECAUSE THEY WERE EACH LIVING IN THEIR OWN PRIVATE GRAVEYARDS
AND, LIKE THE WOMAN AT THE WELL, THEY WERE UTTERLY TIRED OF THE SCENERY.
THEY WANTED THE SAME HOPE AND JOY THEY NOW SAW IN THIS WOMAN. CHRIST
MADE A DIFFERENCE TO THE WOMAN AT THE WELL AND SHE MADE A DIFFERENCE TO
THOSE AROUND HER.
HAS CHRIST MADE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIVE?
ARE WE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND US?
WE CAN AND MUST
WE CAN HELP SOMEONE TO DREAM
WE CAN HELP THE HOPELESS TO FIND HOPE
WE CAN HELP THE PERSON WHO HAS NO VISION TO SEE THE VISION OF THE RISEN CHRIST
WE CAN HELP THOSE WEAK IN FAITH TO GROW STRONGER
OR WE CAN DASH THEIR HOPES, DREAMS & VISION TO PIECES BY OUR UNCARING ATTITUDE.
WILL WE LOOK AT THOSE LIVING IN THE RUST BELTS
OR GHETTOS
OR IMPOVERISHED RURAL AREAS
OR GHETTOS OF THE RICH
& SHARE CHRIST WITH THEM BY OR WORDS & ACTIONS
HELP THEM TO FIND JOBS
FEED THEM
LISTEN TO THEIR DREAMS
SHARE THEIR SORROWS
POINT THEM TO CHRIST
OR WILL WE HEAP BURNING COALS OF SHAME UPON THEIR HEADS
LOOK DOWN ON THEM FROM OUR LOFTY, SELF-RIGHTEOUS POSITIONS
CONGRATULATING OURSELVES THAT WE ARE BETTER THAN THEY
WILL WE FORGET THAT THEY ARE ALSO THE BEAUTIFUL CREATION OF GOD
JUST AS WE ARE.
WILL WE IGNORE THAT JESUS CAME FOR THE RESURRECTION OF THEIR TOTAL BEING
JUST AS HE DID OURS
WILL WE FORGET THAT WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE
CALLED TO SERVE EVERYONE, NOT JUST THOSE WE CHOSE TO SERVE.
WILL WE FORGET THAT WE ARE TO SEE OTHERS THROUGH THE EYES OF CHRIST
NOT THE EYES OF OUR PREJUDICE OR SOCIETAL/CULTURAL IMPERATIVES.
IF WE SAY WE LOVE GOD THEN WE MUST SHOW OUR LOVE BY OUR ACTIONS TO ALL
OF GOD'S CREATION.
WE WILL KNOW THAT FAITH & WORKS CANNOT BE SEPARATED
WE WILL WALK THROUGH THE GRAVEYARDS & BY OUR ACTIONS BRING THE GREAT
GOOD NEWS OF THE RESURRECTED CHRIST.
& WE WILL SEE JESUS BRING TO LIFE THOSE WHO THE WORLD THOUGHT WERE DEAD.
WE CAN SEE THE PEOPLE WE MEET THROUGH THE EYES OF CHRIST
WE CAN SEE WITH SPIRITUAL EYES
WITH LOVE
WITH COMPASSION
WITH EMPATHY
WITH TRUTH
WE CAN LOVE EACH AND EVERY PERSON WE MEET.
TRULY LOVE
WITHOUT JUDGEMENT
WITHOUT CONDEMNATION
WITHOUT THOUGHT OF REWARD
WITHOUT CONCEIT
WE CAN POINT PEOPLE TO CHRIST BY FAITH, LOVE & ACTIONS
WE CAN HELP STRENGTHEN THE WEAK IN FAITH
WE CAN STOP TO LEARN WHAT CHRIST HAS TO TEACH US, SOMETIMES THROUGH
THE MOST UNEXPECTED PERSON OR HAPPENING
WE CAN LIVE AS CHRIST CALLED US TO LIVE, IN SERVICE TO OUR BROTHERS AND
SISTERS.
WE CAN SEE THE MANY GRAVEYARDS THERE ARE. WE CAN SEE THEM NOT AS THE
RESIDENCE OF THE IRRECONCILABLY DEAD, BUT SEE THEM THROUGH THE LOVE OF
CHRIST. SEE THE LIFE THAT IS THERE AND CRIES OUT FOR A TOUCH FROM THE LIVING
CHRIST -- A TOUCH JESUS MAY USE ANY OF US TO PROVIDE.
I LIKE TO WALK THROUGH GRAVEYARDS
THIS MAY SEEM ODD BUT I LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE CHRIST & WATCH THE DEAD COME TO JOYOUS LIFE IN SERVICE TO THE LIVING SAVIOR.
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